Valved attachment for collapsible tubes, having a receiver for extruded contents



Aug. 15, 1950 T. R; CARLTON 2,518,751

VALVED ATTACHMENT FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES, HAVING A RECEIVER FOR EXTRUDED CONTENTS Filed March 26, 1949 l'mventor THOMAS R. CARLTON "FIG-1 I WW f (Ittomeg Patented Aug. 15, 1950 VALVE!) ATTACHMENT FOR =-ICOLLAPSIBLE TUBES, HAVING "A RECEIVER *FOR EX- 'TRUDED GONTENTS Thomas R. Carlton, San Diegm Calif assignor, "by mesne assignments, to Lather-Kup Specialty *Company, a partnership Application -March 26, 1949,, SeriaLNo. 83,624

I Claim. 3:1

This invention relates to an attachment fora collapsible tube dispenser and moreparticularly to a cup designedto be attached to the discharge end of a collapsible tube such as a tube of shavmg cream. A

In using shaving cream, particularly of the type which has .110 be Worked into a lather, it is necessary to have some type of suitable container, suchas a cup or mug, for mixing the cream'with the water. The standard practice is either to use a separate cup or mug 'or-to addthe water and create the lather after application of "the creamto'the face. Neither of these methods'are particularly desirable, theiormer because it requires an additional article to be'used, washed and stored, and the latter method becauseit fails to produce the desirablequantity of lather as WCII as being messy and inconvenient. My invention eliminates this undesirable'situation by combining the dispensingtube and the mixing cupin a single unit.

All of the collapsible tube type dispensersjare subject to several disadvantages, each of which are eliminated by my invention. Among these disadvantages is the fact'that-the'tubes normally have to be stored in a, prone position, i. e., upon their sides. This requires an excessive amount of storage space. My cup attachment eliminates this by providing a stable base upon which the tube may be stored in erectedposition.

Another of th disadvantages normally characteristic of collapsible tube dispensers-is-thegfact that the ribbon of ejected material sometimes spills, particularly if there happensto be-anair pocket in the tube. .My invention prevents this spillingby positively catching all of the material ejected from thetube.

A further disadvantageoi collapsible tube dispensers eliminated by my invention is the necessity of removingand replacing-the tube cap. It also eliminates the nuisance of losing the cap, since the bottom of my cup attachmentis designed to act as an automatically operating valve for the tube. r

It is, therefore, a primaryobiect of my invention to provide a cup attachmentor a collapsible tube type dispenser in which the .materialdispensed may be treated to finally preparewitjor use.

It is a further object of myinVentiontoprovide a self-operating valveior opening and clos ing the discharge openingof acollapsibletube dispenser.

It is an additional object of m invention to- 2 provide a combination cup attachment and support stand for a collapsible tube dispenser.

It'is a "further additional object of myinvention'to-providea cup attachment for a collapsible tube'dispenserwhich is easy and quick to clean and which will fit' any size dispenser without adjustment.

Other objects and purposes of my invention will immediately be seen by persons, acquainted witharticlesof this type upon reading the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is-a sectional elevation view of my invention, but not showing the collapsible'tubein section.

-Figure 2 is a top view of my invention with the cover removed.

Figure 3 is a top view of my invention.

'Figure 4 isafragmentary sectionalview of my invention taken along the plane IV-JZV of Figure 3.

In the following description my cup attachment is described as used in conjunction with a shaving -cream dispenser. However, such description is for the sake of brevity and clarity only and ls' not to be considered limiting. My cup attachment is capableof use with-anycollapsible -tube dispenser, irrespective of the type of material contained in the tube.

My-invention includes a bowl-shaped member having-a removable cover and a resilient insert inthe bottom. The resilient insert serves as both an attachment means ior the collapsible tube and a valve for-opening and closing the discharge opening of the tube.

Referring now 'to'the drawings in greater detail the-numeral refer to acontainer of the collapsible tube type having a head Zcontaining a discharge opening.

. The cup, attachment includes a bowl member 3 open at one endand having a centrally disposed'aperture *4 through the other or bottom end. The edge of the bowl '3 surrounding the open end equipped Wuhan-outwardly proiectmg rim 5. A covert, of substantially the same diameter-asthe periphery of therim 5, is pivotaliymounted to'the periphery of the bowl mem her ew the hinge 1. A pair of clips-8 iFigs. 1, Band 4) integral with the cover 6, snap over the ,rim 5 and hold the cover 6 iii-closed position. Th resilience of the material of the cover permits the clips 8 to engage and disengage the rim 5 any number or times without loss of l ability to secure firmly the cover 6.

The inside surface of the bowl member 3 is provided with radially extending ridges 9, integral with the bowl member 3. The ridges 9 each terminate outwardly of the aperture 4 to permit proper seating of the hereinafter described valve.

The ridges 9 are shown terminating part wa up the inside surface of the bowl member 3; however, they may be extended to the top of the bowl member 3 if such is desired.

The bowl member 3 and cover 6 may be made from any suitable material; however, they are preferably formed from a plastic material because of its lightness, cheapness, noncorrosive characteristics, resiliency and the easewith which it may be cleaned. Particularly are plastics desirable for the cover 6 because their resiliency is ideally suited to the construction of the clips 8.

The valve I0, made from any resilient, waterresistant material, such as natural or synthetic rubber, seats within the aperture 4 and has an external groove H by means of which the valve I9 is anchored to the bowl member 3. The valve I is provided with a central chamber l2 of substantial size having a circular inlet passage [3 and a slit type outlet orifice M. The inlet passage I3 is of smaller diameter than the external diameter of the average tube head 2, The resiliency of the valve 10 permits the inlet passage l3 to be enlarged so that as heads of various sizes are inserted in it, they will be firmly gripped by the walls of said opening. The outlet orifice I4 is normally closed and opens only under pressure,

from the material in the central chamber I2. The central chamber 12 is of. such size and positioning that the walls of the valve body immediately surrounding the top and bottom openings will have the proper balance of stiffness and flexibility that they will hold their respective shapes properly and yet yield under the pressures available to function as hereinafter described.

Operation The valve i0 is partially collapsed until it may be passed partially through, and be seated within, the aperture 4. The central chamber l2 facilitates this operation by rendering it easier to collapse the valve Hi. The cap is removed from the tube l and the head 2 inserted into the inlet passage 13. The elasticity of the material of the valve [0 insures a firm grip on the head 2, preventing the contents of the central chamber l2 from escaping between the head 2 andthe valve I0. The tube l is then squeezed to force the contents of the tube into the central chamber l2 and through the outlet orifice M into the bowl member 3. As soon as the pressure. on the tube I is released, the elasticity of the walls l5 force the outlet orifice I4 shut.

When the cup attachment is used with a tube of lather type having cream, water is added to the cream dispensed into the bowl member 3 and by means of a brush the cream and the water are mixed to produce the lather. The ridges 9 accelerate this process by forcing the cream against the brush. The closure of the outlet oririce 1- prevents the water or lather from becoming intermixed with the cream in the centralchamber I2 and the tube I. At the same time it prevents dehydration and caking of the unused cream by automatically sealing it in the central chamber l2.

When the cup and tube are to be stored the a bowl member 3 is washed out and the cover 6 closed to prevent the entrance of dirt and to catch any cream which might seep through the outlet orifice l4 when the cup and tube are stored with the cover6 acting as a base. Such an inverted storage position is desirable since the cup attachment provides a stable supporting base and in this position less storage space is required, If

it is laid on its side, however, the clips 8 act as stops to prevent it from rolling. When the tube I' is exhausted, it is removed and a new tube attached. Thus, the cup attachment may be used over a long period.

Although I have described my invention as used with a tube of shaving cream, it may readily be used with paste type hair shampoos, concentrated lotions, silver polish or other materials which have to be mixed with water or some other diluting agent. These are merely a few examples of many possible uses of my invention.

The particular shape of the bowl member 3 maybe changed, the cover 6 and ridges 9 removed without departing from the basic novelty of my invention. These modifications and others are each to be considered as included within the hereinafter appended claim except as the claim by its terms expressly provides otherwise.

' Iclaim:

In a device for attaching to a collapsible tube dispenser having a bowl-shaped member and an opening through the bottom thereof, an improved valve member for insertion into said opening in cooperation with said bowl-shaped member comprising: a cylindrical body part and a conical central chamber being of extent transverse to a line joining the said two last named openings sufiiciently greater than either thereof and approaching close enough to the outer ends thereof, that the walls of said valve member immediately surrounding said opening will be of sufficient thinness to be flexible under the pressures normally available for use thereof; whereby the nozzle of said collapsible tube dispenser may be received into said inlet passage for communication :with said internal chamber and material forced from said collapsible tube will enter said internal chamber and may be ejected through said slittype orifice.

THOMAS R. CARLTON;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 820,987 Perotti May 22, 1906 962,091 Pagan June 21, 1910 973,925 Downey Oct. 25, 1910 1 1,605,914 Bishop et a1. Nov. 9, 1926 1,700,364 Bishop et a1. Jan. 29, 1929 1,738,080 Smith Dec. 3, 1929 1,913,811 Laufe June 13, 1933 

